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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · bank · stem · cap · hide · season · fine · dip

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fine — all right
  3. dip — to sink
  4. file — a tool
  5. cap — of ice
  6. season — in sport
  7. bank — for money
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. file — a line of people
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. file — a document
  14. cap — a hat
  15. season — of the year
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. stem — to come from
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bank — of a river
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. cap — a lid
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com